


You deserve so much better

by MissieMoose



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Gen, Writing Exercise, Writing Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-10-17 11:26:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10593066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissieMoose/pseuds/MissieMoose
Summary: A ficlet I did for a writing prompt meme on Tumblr, featuring Bard the Bowman and my character, Baylee Braddock. Ficlet had to include the phrase "You deserve so much better".





	

It had been a hell of a winter. 

With the destruction of Lake-town, the felling of Smaug, and the Battle of Five Armies, it was a wonder that anyone north of of Mirkwood still lived. And yet, here they were. Half of those who had once lived in Lake-town now made their homes in the reclaimed ruins of Dale in hopes of rebuilding the once-glorious city. 

But sorrow still hung heavy in the people’s hearts. Many had lost loved ones thanks to Smaug and the battle that followed. They hadn’t even been able to bury the bodies thanks to the frozen ground. They had been forced to cremate them all together on a massive funeral pyre. 

They had to rebuild, though. They knew they couldn’t continue living in grief; their loved ones wouldn’t have wanted that. Especially the matriarch of the Braddock family. Her family had been one of the first to begin rebuilding in Dale. It was partially because they needed to get a new inn up and running so people could have a temporary shelter. 

But, especially for Baylee who had seen her mother die, they worked mostly to get Eolynna out of their minds for a little while.

And so, Baylee worked. Too small to help father and brother with the carpentry or masonry work, she scrubbed years of dirt, grime, and moss from the walls of the building that would become their inn. There were a few other women helping her, but she mostly kept to herself. She couldn’t bring herself to engage with their gossip. 

Not now, at least. Maybe in a week or two. But not now. Her mother’s death was still too fresh in her memory. After all, the battle had only happened a meager two weeks ago.

* * *

 

A month after the battle, Bard was crowned King of Dale. There was little debate that he deserved the throne; not only was he a direct descendant of the last king of the city, but he was the reason why Smaug was dead. 

From the start, he proved to be a good king. He made negotiations with the elves and the dwarves, getting them to help the humans rebuild as compensation for bringing so much destruction upon them. A great hunter, he personally went out and hunted boar and elk in order to feed his people. 

When he wasn’t attending to his kingly duties, he could be found helping his people rebuild. Though he spent time at different locations, most of his time was given to helping the Braddocks. He and William had grown up together and Warren and Eolynna had been kind to him when the rest of Lake-town had not. 

But the more time he spent with them, the more worried he grew. He had always known Baylee to be a lively, sweet, and vivacious young woman -if not a bit sassy when Will poked a bit of fun at her. Ever since the battle, though, she had become quiet and withdrawn.

“She’ll come out of it,” Warren assured him. “It’s…hard for her. Her first -an’ hopefully _only_ \- battle she’s fought in. An’ the way Eolynna died would have left anyone in shock if they had to witness it like she did.”

“Baylee’s strong,” Will agreed with a solemn nod. “She’s got to be. She’s got _me_ for a twin. When spring comes and things are green and blooming, she’ll return to her old self.”

* * *

 

The kitchen was the first part of the inn to be finished. It was large and, thanks to Bard’s negotiations, its pantry and shelves were filled to capacity with food. A good thing, too, as the Full Tankard (as it had been named) quickly became the place where people were guaranteed a warm, filling meal. 

Within a few days, Demelza, Galiene, and Baylee had the place memorized like the back of their hands. They had to; they would be working there for many years to come. 

At evening was when the inn was most busy. Hungry workers filled the place, wanting all sorts of food and drinks of all types. Baylee was barely able to keep up, so they hired on another waitress by the name of Wenna. 

Things usually died down after the first round of drinks and bowls of stew, though. It was during one of these quiet times that Bard, who had come to visit with Warren and Will, noticed that, after a time, Baylee had seemingly gone missing.

“Oh, she’s just takin’ a wee break an’ catchin’ her breath in the carriage yard,” Wenna told him when he asked of her whereabouts.

With Warren and Will distracted by a conversation with another friend, Bard took the chance to slip away from the table. He left through the front door, not wanting to go through the kitchens lest Demelza and Galiene begin a new round of rumors. 

Once outside, he headed into the carriage yard. This part of the inn was dark, though a half-moon somewhat lit the area. He saw the small form of Baylee leaning against the wall of the stable. She had yet to notice him, though he made no effort to conceal his footsteps. 

“Miss Baylee?” His voice had been soft, but it seemed to echo through the still night.

She somewhat jumped, startled by his presence. “O-Oh, hello, Bard. I mean Lord Bard!” She let out a chuckle. “I’m still gettin’ used to callin’ ya that, I’m afraid.”

He smiled. “You needn’t worry ‘bout such formalities,” he told her. “You an’ your family have known me longer than most. It would be strange to hear you call me by anything other than my name.” He leaned against the wall near her, his hands between his back and the wall. “I’m sorry I haven’t gotten t’ talk with ya much these last few months.”

“We’ve all been busy. I don’t hold it against ya.”

Glancing down at her, he said her staring up at the sky. “How have you been?”

She was silent for what seemed like an eternity. “Do ya want the truth or do ya want a honey-coated lie?” she quietly asked. 

“The truth.”

Sighing, she closed her eyes and tilted her head downwards. “I…I could be better,” she admitted. Swallowing hard, she did her best to hold back tears when she felt her eyes beginning to sting. “I have nightmares of–of that day. Everythin’ plays back in perfect detail. The sights, the sounds -even the damned smells an’ tastes come back t’ haunt me.”

Bard watched as she slid down the wall until she was sitting on the ground. A sob left her mouth and she buried her head in her hands. He joined her, daring to scoot just a bit closer to her. 

“Losing a loved one is always hard,” he quietly told her. “The way in which your family lost Eolynna…she deserved a better death. And you certainly didn’t deserve to witness it as you did.” He slipped his arm around her shoulders, letting her rest his head against him. 

“I wish she didn’t die.”

“As do I. She was a great woman.”

“An’ an even better mother.” Another, softer sob left her mouth.

“ You deserve only joy an’ happiness an’ laughter. Not… _this_. You an’ your family have done _nothin’_ t’ warrant the pain you’ve been through,” he whispered. Unconsciously, he tilted his head down and kissed her temple. “You deserve so much better.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ugh. Writing Baylee again brought back so many feels. The various ficlets I wrote involving her over on tumblr for this prompt meme made me reeeeaaally want to do another Hobbit fanfic with her. Ugh. We'll see. I already have two fanfics going, but one of them is in its final stretch....


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